Vardanyan-Linked Party Forms Alliance Ahead of Armenian Elections
The Country to Live party, connected to former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, has announced a cooperation agreement with the Strong Armenia Alliance of Parties, founded by Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, in preparation for Armenia’s 2026 parliamentary elections. Vardanyan is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Azerbaijan on charges including crimes against peace and humanity, allegations he disputes. According to a memorandum signed Tuesday, both alliances aim to “unite their political, organisational, and human resources” to participate in the June 7th elections.
The Country to Live party intends to leverage regional teams within the alliance. Strong Armenia’s electoral list includes many members of the party, though the founders, Mesrop Arakelyan and Mane Tandilyan, are not listed. The alliance cited “serious security, political, and value-based challenges” within Armenia as the impetus for the collaboration, emphasizing the “inarguable priority of returning Armenian prisoners” as a key objective.
Arakelyan stated that approximately 2.5 million Armenians will have a choice on June 7th, excluding the 19 individuals imprisoned in Baku. Azerbaijan officially acknowledges holding 19 Armenian detainees, including former Nagorno-Karabakh officials. Karapetyan’s alliance includes two smaller parties – New Era and United Armenians.
Negotiations to include the Armenian National Congress, led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, failed. Public opinion surveys suggest Karapetyan will be Pashinyan’s primary opponent. Karapetyan remains under house arrest, with his sentence extended in April on charges including calling for a coup and money laundering.
Despite being named the alliance’s prime ministerial candidate, he is not included on the electoral list due to citizenship and residency requirements. The alliance has officially rebranded as the Strong Armenia Alliance of Parties, removing Karapetyan’s name in line with recent electoral code amendments. Vardanyan is linked to this party.
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